Remembering Keith Shackleton - bird artist's fine work will catch the eye at forthcoming Salisbury auction

                                                        

EXPLORER and artist Keith Shackleton MBE (1923-2015) established a reputation for his superb studies of birdlife in Antarctica.

Prior to committing himself full-time to art, he spent five years in the RAF before joining the family aviation business as a salesman and pilot.

In childhood, Shackleton attended Oundle School - the same as Sir Peter Scott with whom he was to share travels and whom he helped set up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust  of which he became vice-president.

Like Sir Peter, he also became a TV presenter, co-presenting Animal Magic with Johnny Morris in the 1960s before hosting his own series, Animals in Action, in the late 1970s.

On June 2, a copy of his book, Keith Shackleton - An Autobiography in Paintings is due to go under the hammer at an auction to be held by Woolley and Wallis at their saleroom in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Included in the same Lot (and likely to be its  main attraction) is one of his non-polar works - his handsome oil on canvas board study, A Rural Landscape with Geese.

The pre-sale guide price for the Lot - the two items - is £400-£600. 

                                                            

Anyone care to identify the species of the geese?

Set back for Orkney stoat eradication campaign as species spreads to outlying island

                                                                  

The campaign to eliminate Orkney's stoats has faltered

THERE has been a setback in the campaign to eradicate stoats from The Orkneys.

It emerged last week that  one has been sighted on the island Rousay whereas previously they had been confined to the Orkney mainland and linked isles.

A statement issued by Orkney Native Wildlife Project reads:  "We have some bad news to share.

"Evidence of the Rousay individual came from one of the trail cameras we have on the island.

"This is really concerning news for the community, nature and the whole of Orkney. 

"Even by Orkney’s high standards, Rousay is an important place for nature - from breeding seabirds to birds of moorland, peatland and lochans such as  Curlews, Red-throated Divers, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls.

"It is also one of the nine islands in Orkney that is home to the Orkney vole, found nowhere else on earth."

The statement continues: "As part of the response, we have additional traps, cameras including AI cameras and dog searches happening as we work to remove the stoat and get a better understanding of the situation.

"We were able to act quickly thanks to the diligence of visitors, who reported they may have seen a stoat, and because of the landowners that had already granted access as part of biosecurity measures. 

"We are also incredibly fortunate to have trained incursion volunteers on the island who are now part of the response.

"We are now asking all visitors and residents to be extra vigilant and report any potential stoat sightings on Rousay immediately."

Because stoats are strong swimmers, it is thought the Rousay individual may have made its incursion under its own steam.

The invasive Rousay stoat - as captured on trail camera

                               

Natural England duo expect Exmoor's re-introduced White-tailed Eagles to feed on "fish and coastal birds"

                                                  

Soon to be soaring over Exmoor - White-tailed Eagles

UP to 20 White-tailed Eagles are to be re-introduced  over the next three years to Exmoor in Devon despite opposition from farmers fearful that young livestock could fall victim to the huge birds of prey

Go-ahead for the initiative was today announced by Natural England and the Forestry Commission who have been working on the project with the Roy Dennis Foundation which has extensive experience of raptor re-introduction programmes in Scotland and the Isle of Wight.  

In a statement issued today, Roxannne Gardiner and Olivia Beatty, both of Natural England, say:

"We are aware that some  have raised concerns about the project, especially around livestock predation. 

"Our team have joined meetings with farming sector representatives and read the local consultation responses. 

"These concerns have been fully considered.

"We understand that there are genuine fears but have also reflected on evidence from six years of monitoring the 45 birds released by the Isle of Wight project, and their offspring, which shows no recorded feeding on lambs or other livestock."

So what do re-introduced White-tailed Eagles eat? 

The statement continues: "The Isle of Wight birds have only been observed to take natural prey, preferring fish and coastal birds, which is in line with comparable areas in Europe."

Natural England says there will be a project steering group that includes farming sector representatives.

There will also be a commitment to long‑term monitoring of the eagles’ activities, both through GPS tracking and through activity reporting forms.

The licence duration is for 11 years, by which time the project team reckon released birds should have "settled and begun breeding".

Newspaper columnist claims introduced Egyptian Geese may be 'stealing' nest sites from Barn Owls

                                                             

A family of Egyptian Geese - these birds were snapped in the grounds of the Sandringham estate where they used to be watched by the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip 

A COLUMNIST in The Daily Telegraph newspaper has claimed fast-spreading Egyptian Geese, an 'alien' species,  may be  "stealing" nests from Barn Owls.

Matt Ridley writes: "Egyptian Geese can be territorial and like to nest in holes in trees, so they steal owl boxes from barn owls."

In his article, the writer reflects on other introduced species such as Ruddy Ducks and Ring-necked Parakeets, suggesting that the latter have been detected attacking noctule bats in Spain.

Mr Ridley also makes an interesting - and perhaps arguable - comment about competition between native Greylag Geese and Canada Geese.  

"Where I live, the Canada Geese population has collapsed under competitive pressure from native Greylag Geese," he writes. "The Greylag retreated to the Hebrides in the mid-20th Century but has come back strong, driving Canada Geese away from favoured nest sites and is now a pest eating the grass intended for sheep."

Returning to the Egyptian Goose, the author concludes: "I am told Egyptian Geese make for an excellent game bird and are widely hunted in their native native environs."  

Matt Ridley's lively (and contentious) article in The Daily Telegraph

Blame bug on the birdwatchers! Tabloid newspaper points accusatory finger at gull-watching birders

 

A reader of The Wryneck  has submitted this headline from a recent edition of The Sun newspaper in its coverage of the virus infection on board a cruise ship in the Atlantic. The report indicates that the bug came from rats which were scuttling about a landfill site where birders were on the look-out for rare gulls which frequently scavenge such habitats. But the headline seems to be a 'downer' on birders, implicating them, as much as  the rodents,  for the infection.

RSPB courts controversy with decision to pull out of important Rye Meads wetland reserve in Hertfordshire

                                          

The reserve is important for birds such as Kingfishers, Bearded Tits, Little Ringed Plovers and migrating waders (photo: RSPB)

THE RSPB today announced that it intends to "withdraw" from its long-held wetland reserve at Rye Meads in Hertfordshire.

The society is exploring opportunities for radical cuts in expenditure, and it seems this reserve is to be an early casualty.

In a statement issued today, it says: "The RSPB exists to deliver the greatest possible impact for nature. 

"To ensure we can continue doing this sustainably, we reviewed our operations across the UK to focus our resources where they can achieve the most for wildlife.

"We know that many people who enjoy visiting and supporting RSPB Rye Meads have been keen for an update on the reserve’s long-term future. 

"Over the past 18 months we have explored a range of options for the site and have worked closely with our landlords, as well as other organisations, to consider the best way forward.

"We can now confirm that the RSPB will be withdrawing from Rye Meads in November. 

"At that time, management of the site will be handed back to the landowner. The reserve will be closed from Monday November 2 to allow transition to new management." 

The statement continues: "We will continue to work collaboratively with partners and the landowner to secure the best possible outcome for the future of the site and the wildlife that depends on it, and we will share further updates when we are able to.

"We are extremely proud of everything that has been achieved at Rye Meads during our tenure, including the important conservation designations that will help protect the site and its wildlife for the long term. 

"Until our withdrawal in November 2026, Rye Meads will remain open and operating as normal, including throughout the coming summer and early autumn months. 

"We encourage visitors to continue enjoying the reserve and to check our Facebook page or our web page for events and updates on the future of the site.

"We would like to thank our dedicated staff and volunteers who have contributed so much to Rye Meads over the years and to the many visitors whose enthusiasm and support have helped make the reserve such a special place."

The landowners are believed to be Thames Water.

* The RSPB is currently recruiting for fundraisers in Middlesbrough, Leeds, Bangor, Manchester, Bristol and Croydon/ South London.

Research project yielding valuable information about breeding grounds of Britain's overwintering Snipe

                                                           

Snipe - a declining marshland species  

VALUABLE information about the migration of Snipe is being revealed by ongoing research.

In March this year, seven birds were tagged - one in Fife and six in Cornwall with a view to establishing where they breed.

Data from the GPS tags suggests that two of the birds have remained in situ, but the latest whereabouts of the other five records have been at sites in  Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Germany.

Bleddyn Thomas, who captured the birds and tagged them at both sites, comments: "It is  not possible yet to say with certainty whether these are where our tagged Snipe will breed, as they could continue to travel further. 

"Nevertheless, the differences in the directions taken by these individuals highlights the geographic variation in the breeding locations of the UK's overwintering snipe. 

"We will now wait and see where they remain over summer."

According to the Game and Wildlife Cnservation  Trust, which is undertaking the research, the tags being used are some of the smallest available for bird migration studies and weigh only two grammes, but when the leg harnesses and foam bases are added to the tags, the weight increases to three grammes. 

It is a requirement that the weight of the tag should not be over three per cent of the body weight of the bird to ensure that the tag does not impede its natural behaviour. 

Once a familiar sight in our wetlands, breeding numbers of Snipe have notably declined across the UK lowlands and in many parts of Europe, and this has affected the British  wintering population.

Historical changes in land use have been the main driver of the decline, with wet meadows being drained and wetland habitats being lost or degraded. 

Climate change may also be affecting  breeding and migration patterns.

Researchers hope that the study will indicate how best to support conservation of the species.

Tagged and ready for release - one of the Snipe

Belgian artist's oil-on-canvas study of resentful Golden Eagle expected to fetch high price at New York auction

                                            

Entitled Le Voleur (The Thief), Belgian artist Rene Magritte (1898-1967)  painted this oil-on-canvas study of a Golden Eagle shortly before his death. When it goes under the hammer at a sale in New York on May 19, auction house Sotheby's expect bids upwards of 2.8-million US dollars.

Crab-plovers and several tern species put in peril by oil slick in Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz

Oil contamination threat to Crab-plover (photo: Peter Wachtershauser via Wikimedia Commons)                                                                                                

WETLAND birds have been put at risk by an apparent oil slick off Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

These include Crab-plover, Socotra Cormorant, Persian Shearwater and at least four species of Tern - Bridled, Lesser Crested, White-cheeked and Swift.

Kharg Island is where Iran's main oil terminal is located.

Given the other priorities  in this part of the Persian Gulf, it seems unlikely that the welfare of any stricken birds will be high on the agenda - or even on it at all.

Plenty of bird books set to go under the hammer later this month at Gloucestershire auction

                                                   

Bid of up to £300 - maybe more - are expected when the Lots above and below go up for auction later this month. Each contains several titles which are likely to be of interest to book-reading birders. The sale, which also includes several antiquarian ornithological titles, is being conducted by auction house Dominic Winter at their saleroom in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on Wednesday May 13.        

Headline birds - the three species making a splash on front covers of this month's ornithological mags

                                         

Nightjar, Great Grey Shrike and Puffin - the three species featured on covers of the May 2026 editions of three frontline birding titles. 

Did stranded Gannet mistake leisure centre in Lincolnshire for white cliffs of Bempton and Flamborough in Yorkshire?

                                     

The Gannet was able to waddle from the saltmarsh to a footpath where it would have been  vulnerable to off-the-lead dogs had not Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue come to its aid

THERE are hopes of a full recovery for a Gannet that made a crash-landing near the leisure centre in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, yesterday morning.

Gannets, which breed on cliffs in Yorkshire and elsewhere around the British coast, are marine birds which find lifting off from dry land a challenge.

One fanciful theory is that it mistook the leisure centre for a cliff, then, confusing  it for sea, landed on shallow saltmarsh water during high tide and became stranded when the water receded.

After its discovery, the team at the National Coastwatch Institution look-out cabin maintained a watching brief until Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue could come to the bird's aid.

CWR takes up the story thus: "Gannets are among the UK’s largest seabirds. 

"When they are  not plunge-diving into the sea at speeds of up to 60mph, they are usually found nesting and resting along steep cliff edges. 

"If they land on flat beaches like Cleethorpes - or are washed ashore after rough seas - they can struggle to become airborne again. 

"We suspect this bird was attempting to continue its journey north towards the cliffs further up the coast."

The statement continues: "Ads  a high-risk species on a high-risk coastline for avian influenza, this bird underwent three separate assessments before entering rescue: the first at the scene before collection, the second outside the rescue centre and the third within our isolation bay.

"We are pleased to report that, aside from a fairly typical ectoparasite burden and being slightly underweight, the bird is in good overall health.

"Our fantastic veterinary partners at Eastfields have since carried out a full health-check and given the all-clear for rehabilitation to continue.

"A huge thank you to local photographer Rob for providing clear images that allowed us to assess the bird safely from a distance, and to Cleethorpes Coastwatch for their monitoring and observations throughout."

Cliff-like? Cleethorpes Leisure Centre sits next to saltmarsh

Making progress - there are hopes that the bird will soon be fit enough for release (photo: Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue)

Roll on July 10! It's looking promising for another superb line-up of speakers at Global Birdfair 2026

                                                              

Is that a Wren or is it a Heron? Birders try out the optical gear at a previous Birdfair

WITH the big weekend little more than two months away, the organisers of Global Birdfair have unveiled a taster of  some of the talks that will feature.

Among the speakers on the opening day, Friday July 10, will be old favourites Keith Betton and Martin Kelsey, while the RSPB's Jenny Weston is due to describe the organisation's collaborative efforts to save the Steppe Eagle, an endangered migratory species.

Also likely to be of interest will be a presentation in which Lloyd Scott will discuss the Campaign Against Bird Slaughter's ongoing efforts to halt bird-poaching at bird migration hotspots in the Mediterranean.

Below is a list of some of what has, provisionally, been arranged for the Avocet lecture theatre on Day 1, but much fuller information is on Global Birdfair's own website: Global BirdFair.

Total of 23 Britons - many of them likely to be birders - stranded on virus-stricken cruise ship

                                                                

Worrying time for those on board the MV Hondius and their families at home (photo: Oceanwide Expeditions)

HOW once-in-a-lifetime wildlife-watching  holiday in the Antarctic turned to tragedy remains the subject of intense investigation.

As is being widely reported in international media, three MV Hondius passengers -  a Dutch couple and one German - have lost their lives, reportedly after having contracted a rare virus that is sometimes carried in the droppings or urine of rodents or deer.

Meanwhile, a poorly British passenger has been evacuated and is being treated in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Johannesburg.

Two of the 70 crew members are also said to be extremely ill with  breathing difficulties.

The MV Hondius is operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions which specialises in birding and wildlife-watching holidays in  the Antarctic and the Arctic.

It currently has on board a total of 149 passengers and crew  of  23 nationalities  

Since leaving  Ushuaia in Argentina about three weeks ago, the ship  has stopped in mainland Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St. Helena, Ascension and Cape Verde while en route to the Canary Islands.

Because of concerns about transmission of the virus, the ship has not been allowed to dock in any port, and has been anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.

In a statement issued earlier today, Oceanwide Expeditions, said: "Local health authorities have visited the vessel and assessed the situation. 

"Oceanwide Expeditions is working closely with local and international authorities, including the World Health Organisation,  relevant embassies and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

"At the same time, preparations are being made for possible medical repatriation and next steps. 

"The option of sailing on to Las Palmas or Tenerife are being considered to be the gateway for disembarkation, where further medical screening and handling could take place.

"Strict precautionary measures are in process on board, including isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring. 

"Oceanwide Expeditions is in close contact with those directly involved and their families, and is providing support where possible.

"We understand the considerable interest and concern and will share new information as soon as it has been verified. "

Below is a list of the nationalities of those on board the ship

                                                            

Will Robert Nicholls' handsome moorland study of Peregrine Falcon fly under the radar at weekend sale?

                                                                     

Has Yorkshire-based auction house Tennants been slightly cautious in estimating a selling price of between just £100 and £150 for this stunning  pastel study of a Peregrine Falcon signed by the Wensleydale-based artist Robert Nicholls?  We thinks bids will go higher before the hammer falls at the sale on Friday May 8. More of the artist's work can be seen at Yorkshire Landscape and Wildlife Artists - Robert Nicholls

                                     

On the market - the island former Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young and husband share with Ospreys

                                                                

Scenic - the island enjoys an extraordinarily beautiful backdrop

A 103-acre  island home to nesting Ospreys and visiting White-tailed Eagles has been put on the market with a price tag of £3-million.

Former Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young and her businessman husband, Nick Jones, have decided to sell the richly-wooded Inchconnachan Island in Loch Lomond.

It is believed they paid about £1-million for it and its three-bedroom house about five years ago.

                                    

Kirsty Young - her own 'desert island'

The island used to be home to Capercaillies, but, according to the RSPB, they have long since departed - a consequence of predation of eggs and chicks by pine martens, foxes and crows, plus human disturbance.

The Capercaillies - known as 'kings of the forest' - will also have been disadvantaged by the presence of fallow deer and by the introduction, in 1940, of non-native Red-necked Wallabies which may have provided grazing competition and crushed chicks and eggs by their mode of movement. 

What birds are there now on Inchconnachan Island, one of about 10 islands in  Loch Lomond?

Surveys, the last two of which were  carried out on two dates in August 2023, have revealed the presence of the following species:

* Blackbird

* Blue tit

* Carrion crow

* Jackdaw

* Raven

* Chaffinch

* Cormorant

* Dipper

* Dunnock

* Fieldfare

* Goldcrest

* Goosander

* Jay

* Little grebe

* Long-tailed tit

* Mistle thrush

* Redwing

* Robin

* Treecreeper

* Woodcock

* Woodpigeon

* Wren

* Grey wagtail

* Chaffinch

* Goldcrest

* Nuthatch

* Willow warbler

* Siskin

* Osprey

Since last year, there has been planning consent to extend the living accommodation on condition that, prior to the start of development, "a breeding birds protection plan shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by the planning authority" which is Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. 

The consent also insists on a detailed "protection plan" for nesting Ospreys.

The joint selling agents are Knight Frank (0131 222 9600)  in Edinburgh and Savills (0141 222 5864) in Glasgow.

                               

The trees consist mostly of bird-attracting species such as oak and birch plus Scots Pine